Being Human
by DannyBall Z
Summary: All they wanted to was to fit in. To be human. But fate had other ideas...Soriku, AkuRoku, Zemyx.
1. The Beginning

**Hello Ladies and Gents and thank you for clicking on that lil button to this story ^_^ You've made me happy already… **

**The idea of this story comes from a program called Being Human about a werewolf, vampire and ghost living together. So I've taken the idea and made it my own, so therefore the plot is very different from the show. You don't have to have seen it to understand this story…but I really do recommend you watch it on youtube or something because it really is awesome =P Me loves…So yeah, this is really different from the show so please, don't think I'm stealing ideas. I'm not. Just the name and the fact that a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf are living together…anyways…I'll stop rambling…please enjoy =D**

**Disclaimer: I shall only say this once…these things annoy me. I OWN NOTHING! Really…people, places such and such are owned by their respective owners and if you don't know who they are I gots one word for ya: Google. **

**I don't own that either unfortunately…I'm sure I'd make a killing if I did…**

**Warnings – contains some strong language and boys lovin boysssss … don't like don't read =P**

Being Human

**Chapter 1**

**Survival, Friendship, Memories and the Truth. **

Being is. Being is in-itself. Being is what it is.  
**Jean-Paul Sartre**

Three years.

_survived_

It had been three years.

_existed_

Three _whole_ years.

_suffered_

Two of which they had known about each other. Known each other's secrets. Known what each other was. And it was scary. Scary how two of probably the most dangerous creatures on the planet had come together like this. To survive.

Survival was a funny thing. According to scientists it's the only thing that we really know. Everything our life involves is based on this natural this instinct to survive. To make it through the world each day, with fresh blood pumping through our veins and air inflating our lungs. Everything else is just to make our survival comfortable. Safe. Because everyone just wants the feeling of normalcy in their lives.

To learn, to create, to succeed and most importantly…to belong.

Belong.

Sora wished he did. But now…he wasn't quite sure. Its said that in the darkest of times humans will seek refuge within each other…

Did that even apply to him? The boy who wasn't even sure if he was meant to be alive. The boy who had long forgotten what in was like to even feel normal.

_Human._

Oh he was beyond that. To everyone else three years won't have been much. But to him it had almost been a lifetime.

A lifetime of running.

_pain_

And hiding.

_growls_

Fearing for his own measly existence.

_screams_

And sometimes hating it.

_ripping flesh_

Yet here he was. Stood in a seemingly empty room, staring at clumps of plaster detaching themselves from the walls that were painted a horrible shade of pink.

That was going to be the first thing to go.

Sora turned to the other who was stood in the doorframe jangling keys and looking rather pleased with himself.

"Seriously?" He asked, not quite believing that after months of planning and searching this was all they could get.

"It was cheap." Was his answer and he rolled his eyes and began again, surveying the room.

"I wonder why…" Sora said dryly, looking disgustedly at the small line of mould slowly festering the corner of the room.

Correction. _That. _Would be the first thing to go. The brunette sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a long, slow breath.

"Riku, you really expect us to live here? This place is a dump." Riku rolled his eyes, walking into the room to ruffling the younger boys hair before grabbing his chin and pulling it toward him; leaning down as he did so his and Sora's eyes were level.

"Don't be so melodramatic. All this place needs is a little TLC ok?" Sora glared slightly at the implication that he was being overdramatic. As _if._

Blowing at the strand of silver hair that had fallen in front of their faces and was now tickling his nose, the brunette twisted his head out of Riku's grasp and bumped past him huffing a "Whatever" as he left.

Riku whistled. "Heh…someone's time of the month." He said to no one but the wall and its clumps of falling plaster.

"I heard that!"

-- --

Riku had to admit; the last person he expected to run into at that small, badly lit bar was Sora Ohori. It was nice though. He hadn't seen the boy in over twelve months and he was just grateful he was alive. After the unexpected fatality of the boy's friend and his even more unexpected disappearance Riku did worry. The world was filled with nothing but bad omens at the minute and he was sure that that was what had gotten the brunette; and yet here they both sat. Chatting away as if nothing had happened and Sora hadn't gone off the radar for twelve months.

In all honesty though, the boy looked a mess, as if he hadn't slept or eaten in weeks.

If only Riku knew.

There was so much the silverette wanted to ask. To find out. Like exactly what Sora had been doing in the twelve months since he left. What had happened to make the brunette leave the one and only person who he had devoted his life to protect? Poor Roxas. After Sora had disappeared he had been nothing but a walking waterfall of emotion. Always thinking the worst, there was no note, no call, no last words spared as the elder took off. Just the memories of a brother who had walked.

Riku frowned. _Care_. _Caring_. That's what Sora was. Nothing but caring. And yet he had left his brother all alone to deal with nothing but speculation amongst the islanders about the true cause of tragic 'accident'. The one that had involved Sora and that boy. Well, man. He and Sora were so close. Almost like brothers. They had ruled out murder; Sora had been hurt as well. Riku was sure that the scars were still as prominently disgusting now as they were then. He hadn't mentioned that of course when the brunette had showed him, though they were still bloody gashes when he got his look. He remembered holding back the small look of repulsion that had tried to make its way onto his face. He remembered simply offering a small smile, before, out of blind perverted curiosity, he stroked the tattered skin around the half pulled off bandage, not wanting to touch the wound. It really was horrible. But that sick, twisted part of himself found it fascinating.

What the fuck had done that?

An animal attack they claimed. A really vicious animal attack. Now Riku had seen a lot in all his lifetime. A lot. A lot of really really weird shit. But this…this was different. It was as if something had tried to rip his shoulder blade off. And the man who was with him. Well, they didn't disclose much about him…only that although he was still alive when they were found, though the sight of his chest ripped open and the view of his insides and lower intestines never gave much hope.

He never made it to the hospital.

And Sora…Sora had survived.

Be he was not the same afterwards. He had lost a good friend. A very good friend. A friend that Riku was almost jealous of. He had had Sora's complete and utter dedication, and the boy was sure there was something more going on between them. But nothing was ever said. Nothing was ever proved.

So Riku never said anything, too frightened to think that if he did he would lose the only person who ever made him feel. That ever made him want to live on. And then that boy was hurt and he spent everyday at that hospital and then at that house consoling the brunette and doing anything and everything humanely possible for the kid in a desperate bid to make him happy.

And then after a month there was another attack. On a man out walking his dog late one night and Sora was gone. The police had thought it was related at first. Sora's disappearance and the attack on the man. But Riku and Roxas and been the first to stand up and argue that never ever would Sora do that; especially with what happened only months before.

Then came the warning. The warning of a dangerous animal on the loose. But after Sora had left there were no more attacks. No more people being torn to shreds and although the two who had died were not forgotten, the incident of the 'dangerous creature' was.

With that Riku left. There was nothing here for him now. There was no _Sora. _

So you can imagine his joy when a familiar voice called for a beer and a shot of vodka. Though he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the fact that this boy…no, man now. That this man was ordering anything remotely alcoholic.

Sora.

The Prude.

Ordering vodka of all things.

The thought made Riku chuckle. He should really say something. Something suave, cool and witty. Yeah, that was Riku all over.

"Bad day I take it?" Wow…real smooth there Captain Cocky.

He watched as the man next to him suddenly tensed, turning his head slowly toward Riku, pure surprise smashed across his face.

"Ri…Riku??" The silverette smiled, one of those dashing look-at-me-I'm-hot-and-you-know-it smiles.

"Hey Sora. Long time no see."

-- --

Kairi loved life. She really did.

So when she died. It really did suck.

At first she had been scared. She kept on trying to talk to her family that were all gathered in the house that she shared with her boyfriend. No one would answer though; no one could hear her…

She remembered sitting in the corner an hour later crying. Sobbing so hard that her chest began to hurt. Which was weird because she was dead…obviously…so why she was feeling pain was beyond her but yet she felt it.

And what made matters worse she couldn't remember much. Like, how she died. Which was extremely frightening in itself. She wanted to know how it had all ended. She had had so many dreams and ambitions, what the hell had crushed them to pieces…?

Again, the tears emerged however this time they came in slow, steady streams. It was too early, she didn't want to die. She was too young, she had so much to live for.

She **didn't** want to die.

She **never** wanted to die.

So she cried. And cried. And cried. And cried.

She didn't want to die.

She never wanted to die.

Life was so important to her.

She didn't want to die.

_She never wanted to die._

She had so much going for her.

She didn't want to die.

She had so much love to give to him.

_She didn't want to die. _

She had so much to give to the world.

…_shedidntwanttodiesheneverwantedtodie…_

She was scared.

_shiver_

Her heart shuddered.

_shudder_

Then everything went black.

_**darkness**_

-- --

_He really did wonder how he had ended up in this situation. Bad things always seemed to come to him at the minute. _

"_I Know what you are Sora." _

_Well after what you had seen that was no surprise…_

_The boy didn't reply, just threw on the shirt that the man in front of him had oh so graciously brought him after he stalked him into the forest, saw his curse awaken and ran (natural reaction), only to shock Sora by returning in the morning with a bag of clean clothes and an interrogation. _

"_Sora." _

_The brunette ignored him; it wasn't like he wanted this to happen. He had tried to keep this thing under wraps. Tried so desperately to run and hide all this from the ones he loved and keep them safe. He knew this brought out the worst in him. He had tried his best to not let it get to him. Be happy, chipper Sora. That's how everyone knew him. That's what he liked to believe he was, because he _liked _being happy and pretending to be normal and that the world was a nice friendly place…_

"_Sora. Look at me." _

…_with butterflies and rainbows…_

"_Sora don't ignore me." _

…_and lots of beautiful flowers and sunsets…_

"_I really don't appreciate it." _

…_and that sea salt ice cream that Roxas loved so much dammit…_

"_SORA! Look. At. Me."_

_He really couldn't pretend anymore. His perfect little world became nothing but shattered glass in his mind, and being the stubborn man he was, he refused to grant Riku his request and look at him. No, he found the grassy patch that he had flattened with his naked body whenever he had changed back, much more interesting. _

"_Why aren't you running?" His voice croaked as Sora watched from the corner of his eye as Riku's look of annoyance quickly changed to confusion. _

"_What?" The brunette finally looked up, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. Dammit he would not cry. _

"_Why…are you here? Come to call me freak? Beast? Monster?" Riku averted eyes for only a second then Sora knew, knew there was something. He laughed bitterly. _

"_Oh I get it…come to take me to the authorities? Come to lock me up forever and throw away the key? Don't worry Riku I wont cause a scene. I know how much you hate being the centre of attention. I'll come quietly like a good little…werewolf." The two stared at each other, neither moving. Sora's eyes narrow and hard, Riku's effortlessly emotionless. Unable to take it anymore Sora's eyes immediately softened and he pulled away from the contact, secretly wishing that he too could have the ability to be so damn impassive. _

"_No." _

_The brunette jumped, not expecting the silence to broken and his eyes suddenly raised themselves back to Riku's face. _

"_What?" _

"_I said. No. I would never do that Sora. You should know me better than that by now." Sora blinked. Who was this guy kidding, what was he going to do? He could make a gold-mine out of him. The wolf freak. The _dangerous _wolf freak. But then again, this _was_ Riku. He would never do that…he should know him better but…the world was a harsh place, and even the people you care about most would be willing to betray you if they cared enough about the end prize of the betrayal. _

"_Sora. I want…I care about you. Let me help. Don't go through this alone. And…don't think yourself as a freak because you're not. And if you are…well…" Riku broke off, smirking lightly and stepping into the light a little more, giving Sora a better view of his face. Damn tree's. _

"…_You're not the only freak here." _

_Time seemed to stand still as what only could be explained as darkness, filled Riku's eyes and they lost that aquamarine colouring that Sora loved so much. _

_Leaving nothing but black slits. _

_-- --_

That all seemed along time ago now, two years to be exact. Riku had taken it so well. But then again considering what Riku was, Sora supposed he'd seen a lot of weird stuff in his time…however long it had been. The silverette, although completely trusting of Sora had refused to tell him his real age…

"_Never ask a man they're age. It's rude." _

"_Actually I believe that saying goes 'never ask a lady…' " _

_Huff. "Whatever." _

Thinking about it, Sora really didn't know all that much about Riku's secret. He knew what he was, that he was 24 when he was bitten, his family had long since died and that he hated feeding on humans…despite the fact that they were so damn addicting.

Sora felt like he should be frightened, he was living with a 'creature of the night' as some called him, but he knew Riku would never hurt him. Not that way anyway, besides, Sora had the DNA of a werewolf…what kind of repercussions would there be if Riku would suddenly get hungry and…no…Sora didn't want to think about that. He was curious about Riku's condition though, as he so aptly put it. Like, for instance, how he could walk around in daylight without turning into a big pile of vampire dust…

"_That's nothing but a myth. Passed down generations by idiots. I'm living proof of that…well living so to speak…" _

Can he touch Holy Water…?

"_Of course not. I'm not exactly in God's good books. If there is a God. Blessed water by those of good magic I think is the most appropriate way to put Holy Water. My mere existence offends…"_

If Sora were to stab a wooden stake through Riku's chest would he die?

"_Why the hell would you want to do that?" _

If Sora were to stab Riku with a normal, bog standard weapon of any sorts would he self heal?

"_Erm…yeah. That's why you can't see where I was bitten. Self healed see."_

Is there such thing as Dracula?

"_Where are you getting these questions? No, there isn't. There's more than likely one head Vampire whose out there somewhere whose probably like…a thousand years old. I've never met him but I _can_ tell you now his name is NOT Dracula…or Vlad or any other stupid name that's stupidly related to us Vampires. We're not born, we're created." _

If Sora cut off Riku's head off would he grow another one?

"_You watch way too many movies…"_

Finally…has Riku found Mina yet? Or is he still waiting for his love…?

_THUMP!_

"…"

-- --

"He's there. In the house. With…" The sound of sniffing reverberated. "…a werewolf? Riku Riku Riku…what are you up to?" Static rang through the small electronic device clutched in the man's hand, this always happened to him and anything with an electric pulse running through it. The man held the phone closer to his ear.

"They're not doing anything. Do you want me to…? Okay okay, watch and report I get it. God Larxene. Chill out. I'm not an idiot Larxene it- fuck you. It's him. Definitely him. Why are you so interested in him anyway? We've got bigger fish to fry…" Pause "…whatever. I…" Swallow "…cleared…the house out didn't I? Its not my fault he can't do his job and keep it clear. He's a douche. Yeah…" Another pause "…you know him right? No the guy you've got me watching Sherlock…he's one of you isn't he? Did you fuck hi- Okay okay okay! None of my business I get it…I take it you two were close? Hard to believe but ok. What about that other one? You know him? Brunette, short-ish. Seemed pretty tight with him…" Pause "…No?" Silence "Well your silence says otherwise…yeah Larx, you're awesome too…I'm out."

The man in the thick black cloak threw the device onto the ground in front of him, bringing his foot down to crush the phone. It had outlived its usage and he really didn't want anyone else going through the calls or whatever.

Heaving another huge sigh and throwing a hand into his hair, he rubbed it gingerly, trying to figure out what to do next…

Well…he could always go home…?

Yeah…definitely go home…back to bed…with that beauty of his…oh yeah…

Raising an arm up into the air and thanking whatever force that was on his side that the alleyway he was in was hidden and empty he called forth the powers chained to his heart since birth. Flames erupted around him, spinning faster and faster until they engulfed his whole body before they eventually started to drift into nothingness, leaving only a crushed phone and a black scorch mark to litter the floor.

-- --

**There we are. Chapter one. Hope you guys enjoyed it and please feel free to review…I love constructive criticism. =D**

**Until next time…**

**PC**


	2. Me, You and the Ghost Over There

**Here we go…**

**Disclaimer: Check the first chapter. **

**Being Human **

**Chapter 2 **

**You, Me and the Ghost Over There…**

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.  
**Winston Churchill**

"So I was thinking we could go do some shopping and shit before we haul anything in here," Sora looked away from watching some of the neighbours staring at the small van they had hired to move what little stuff they had, and turned to his silver haired friend.

"What kind of shopping?" Riku flicked up an eyebrow.

"Food of course." Now it was Sora's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"You, of all people, are thinking of food. Food that you can buy in packets from shops, rather than from someone's neck?" Riku narrowed his eyes, he knew Sora wasn't being serious but still he hated people repeating what he was. And wasn't this whole 'being human' thing Sora's idea anyways? How can he possibly pretend to be normal if Sora was constantly reminding him otherwise?

"Sorry. That was thoughtless." Riku was brought out from his train of thought by Sora staring at him sympathetically. "Food shopping's good." He smiled, letting Riku know yet again that there was something worth doing this all for. There was Sora.

"Don't worry about it Sora. I know what you meant. Come on wolfy, lets go get your food. Save you chasing after some poor old woman or something next week…" Sora narrowed his own eyes and aimed a kick at Riku's shin.

"Ha Ha. You're hilarious."

BANG!

"What was that?" Sora frowned at his friend, who mirrored his expression.

"I think it came from upstairs…" The brunette looked at the elder expectantly, what was he looking at exactly?

"Go on! Mr. Self healing-immortal. Get your ass up there and check it out!" Riku sighed and shifted on his feet slightly. Why did he have to check it out?

"Whatever." He mumbled finally, making his way out of this kitchen and up the stairs. He was only doing this because Sora had asked him to. Anyone else he would have told them where to go.

Knowing his luck it was probably just some stupid kids who had thought it would have been a good idea to use the empty house as some sort of teenage brothel…not realising that people would be inhabiting it anytime soon.

_Poor kids don't know what's about to hit them. Surely won't be able to sit for a week once I kick their ass up and out my house. _Riku smirked. It wouldn't do anyone any good to try anything funny in a house occupied by a werewolf and a vampire…

-- --

Kairi didn't know what she had been doing for the past god knows how long. Drifting in and out she had slowly been driven mad by the fact that no one could see sight nor hear her. Screaming at them had no affect whatsoever, only causing objects to fly out of places and things so suddenly explode. And after a while, Kairi had fun, because watching the current residents flee out of the house screaming that they were under attack by flying books and such was just plain hilarious.

And when she wasn't scaring the shit out of some defenceless, living resident, Kairi had slowly began to integrate herself with the house. Which meant she could have absolute control over the building…of course half the time she didn't really know she was integrating. Well not on any conscious level, she just felt like she was sleeping, but on some subconscious supernatural wave length she had begun to realise that this was her house and she wasn't going to give it up for anyone.

She was so tired. So, so tired.

She didn't even realise that she could get tired. She constantly felt that she was going to drop at any moment, which of course would have been a scientific impossibility. Mind you, she was just one walking, talking, bookcase moving scientific impossibility now wasn't she? She didn't even know ghosts existed…let alone…feel what she was feeling.

Most of the time when Kairi was awake, conscious of what she was doing and not throwing plates at people she wandered what she was doing here exactly. Why hadn't she just moved on, gone to the better place as they called it. Why was she stuck here in some twisted limbo not knowing what the hell to do with herself. She had barely any memories so she was unable to figure out any of that…unfinished business…business, and to top it all off she hadn't met any other ghosts in the area so she was living the most lonely non-life ever imagined.

The red-headed girl had once just followed a resident round, talking to them, pretending they were replying to what she was saying giving half cocked reactions in a one sided conversation. It probably would have been funny had she not been so desperate.

It hadn't actually taken long to run the last residents out of the house. She was feeling a particularly bitter because they were young newly weds and had she not have been dead that could have been her…

So with that in mind she took no trouble in throwing every plate they owned against the wall a week after they got settled. It was violent she knew, but loneliness and desperation had led her to do a lot of stupid things in the past three years.

Then they were gone. And Kairi was more alone than ever. But this time, she welcomed the silence instead of shying away from it. This was her life now. This was her home. And yet again, she fell back into her zombie like state, completing her integration and finally becoming one with the house. It felt comforting in some ways. It felt like she was part of something she once held dear and now thinking about it, she was.

Months had passed and Kairi, not awakening from her comatose state failed to realise how bad the condition of the house actually was. She kept seeing herself cleaning and cooking, and playing host in this perfectly little home she made for her and her boyfriend.

It wasn't until there was a click at the door and the peace was disturbed that Kairi awoke, glancing around at the neglected walls and windows that had gathered so much grime it was unbelievable.

The same estate agent who had brought all the others to the house strolled in, cringing when he saw the state it was in.

Kairi peered around a door, not quite sure why she felt so apprehensive when she knew they couldn't see her. Maybe it was because she sensed something strange, something not quite normal. Or maybe it was because she would have to go through all this again. She didn't like scaring people literally out of house and home. Well that was a lie, it was sometimes fun, but she knew it wasn't fair to keep kicking people out, and she really did feel sorry for them. But dammit this was her home and no one was taking it away from her.

"So this is the…house." The agent plastered on a large, obviously fake grin and gestured wildly to the hall, moving out of the way as he did to let another person through.

It was a man, tall, muscular and hair the strangest shade of silver. He stepped in the hallway, eyes flickering on Kairi's position peeked behind the kitchen door for a second before he looked up the stairs, pausing all for a moment before he frowned and his head swung back toward the kitchen. Kairi pushed herself away from the door and squeaked.

Did he just…_look _at her? No…he couldn't…see her…no one could…

Stomping feet and a hurriedly thrown "the living rooms over here!" was the first and only warning Kairi needed to let her know what the silver haired man was heading her way. As soon as he pushed open the door she disappeared into a puff of thin smoke, deciding to hide upstairs for a while.

She knew it was weird. But she was intrigued. This guy had definitely seen her. She was sure of it. Why else would he march his way towards the kitchen when the clearly baffled and exasperated agent just wanted to show him the living room?

Maybe…this was a sign…maybe this guy was a ghost too…no how the hell could a ghost become visible and why would it…no he, why would _he_ want to buy a house? It was stupid, but Kairi hoped it was someone who could sense ghosts or something, like on those TV programs she used to watch when she had nothing else to do. They used to make her laugh at the idiocy of the people on there and how it was all plainly fake.

Ha…the irony wasn't lost on her.

But this could be her chance, if this man brought the house and judging by the state of it he wouldn't…

Faintly in the background she heard an annoyed, "we'll take it."

Well…maybe this really was her chance to finally…try and move on. She could communicate, ask what they know about ghosts, ask them how she could finally move on. It all sounded so silly in her head but Kairi had never been so sure in her life.

This was her time, even for a short while, to once again try being human.

-- --

Riku really didn't know what to think. He had checked all the rooms. Twice. There had been nothing. Nothing at all. Each room was devoid of any and all furniture and there were no broken or open windows to assume that someone had stupidly jumped out in some crazy haste to escape. Everything was clean, which made Riku even more suspicious.

What he saw when he first came to look at the house wasn't forgotten. He had seen something in that Kitchen and he could have sworn it was more of a some_one_. He had, at the time, crossed it off as a trick of the light, until he saw a flash of red at the top of the stairs. Nonetheless it hadn't deterred Riku from buying the place. The house was big enough for the two, in a small quiet area like Sora had wanted and it was cheap. Okay, so it wasn't in the best condition, but like he had said to Sora, all it needed was a bit of TLC and it would be good as new.

Though the silverette still had his suspicions that not all was normal in the house.

Riku had had a fair few, dare he call them friends, who claimed to live in haunted houses, and they said that because of the nature of the ghost it never really became a problem. Just something that everyone grew use to. Unless it was a poltergeist that is, then many would run with their head between their legs. But as it were, poltergeists were too far and few too worry, which was lucky Riku supposed.

Ghosts, by reputation, are harmless. They exist only to finish whatever business their unresting soul demands of them before they move on to the next plain. Which is why when Riku suspected there was one residing in the house, he thought nothing of it. If anything, he would kick the damn thing out.

This house does not belong to them anymore.

And from what the estate agent said the only and last person to pass on was a young woman over 3 years ago, something that Riku would clearly point out if he ever came face to face with her.

But now, checking the house, it seemed as though he was wrong. He was sure he would have seen her had she been there; a possibility could have been that she had already moved on…

And as Riku searched the entire upstairs for a third time he was sure that that was it. Heaving a sigh, he dug a hand into a pocket of his jeans and ran the free hand through his hair.

"Nothing." He murmured, before making his way down the stairs, coming face to face with a very agitated looking Sora.

"What was it?!" He said, not taking his eyes off Riku as the other made his was across the kitchen and leant on the work surface.

"Nothing."

Sora frowned.

"Nothing?"

Riku nodded.

"Nothing."

Silence.

"How does it take someone ten minutes to check out nothing?" Riku smirked, folding his arms across his chest and studied Sora slightly.

"Well I had to be sure it was a very nothing…nothing. I am the man of the house after all, it is my job." Sora frowned at Riku's inference that he was in any way womanly and that he was unable to take care of himself had it been more of a…well nothing.

"I'm perfectly able to take care of myself thank you very much. And you are not man of the house. Since this household contains two men I think its safe to say that the 'man of the house' title belongs to neither." Sora continued to stare at Riku and when it appeared he wasn't going to get any sort of reply threw out an "idiot" for good measure. The silver haired man just rolled his eyes pushed off from the counter.

"Come on. Now we've established there's nothing in the house I think its time to go get some grub. I'm starved."

And with that the two left, remembering to grab keys from the counter and directions to the nearest supermarket from an old lady hobbling down the street, leaving nothing but a mass of red hair peering down the stairs after them.

-- --

Kairi was willing to admit that that was too close. At first she was positive that she wanted to be seen by this silver haired intruder but now…she wasn't too sure. The brunette, although he seemed to have a lighter personality than the other, even managed to intimidate her.

Then again maybe they were just on edge. I mean, this was their first day in a new home. And she really hadn't meant to slip down a couple steps when she had been guiltily eavesdropping on their conversation.

But still…what did they mean? Necks? Wolfy? Okay maybe the latter was just a nickname however, what the boy had said…about…food from necks? That was slightly creepy.

Kairi knew there was something off with these people…her senses had set off when the silver haired guy had first seen her…Riku his name was right? But she never thought…no…I mean…that's ridiculous. No. There was probably a logical explanation. There had to be, because there was no way that Kairi was living in a house with some sort of…vampiric freak…

-- --

Sunlight crept through the small opening in the far left wall, drawing shadows across the room that seemed to dwindle when they reached a figure, almost fearful. All was quiet until every so often, the sound of tiny crackling and a sharp intake of breath rippled through the space as a drag was taken from the small, white stick held securely between two fingers, the burning buds tip lighting a little brighter before shrinking in size; and only moments later tufts of smoke escaped the lips of the cigarettes owner.

They were sat stiffly; the rise and fall of their smoking arm their only movement.

_He should be here soon. _

Unless he wasn't coming, well, that wouldn't be a surprise. No one had seen him in almost seven months, well no one other than Larxene. The two faced bitch. He always did have a soft spot for her. Silence yet again reigned and this time the figure didn't even bother to finish their fag, having enough and dropping it carelessly they stood up, moving their head from left to right and clicking it in all the right places.

"Going somewhere?" The figured turned slowly, only seeing the shape of a man through the darkness, though they didn't need to see to know who it was. The voice, the smell, it was a presence they knew all to well.

"Well, I was waiting for someone but since you so rudely interrupted…" a small gesture was thrown and through the darkness a man smirked.

"I don't think he's coming. He's got…other…priorities now." The man allowed himself a small humourless laugh as the other huffed slightly, clearly not happy with the outcome.

"His priorities should lay with us and us alone. He knows this." The man nodded as the other shifted on the spot, placing hands on hips.

"He does. But then when has Riku ever cared about what he should do and what he wants to do. In his book he comes first. Then everything comes later." The other smirked, taking a step toward the man.

"I think that's the most you've ever said to me. And about someone who you couldn't give a rats ass about. I'd like to know where this is going." The man studied the other, taking in the figure in all its glory.

"I'll tell you when we get there. I really do hate you and your kind. You, of course, know this. So what that boy does is really none of my concern. Nonetheless, he's unknowingly interfering with my plans. I suggest you take care of it." The figure quirked an all-knowing eyebrow, taking yet another step forward.

"I see. And what do you suppose I do? Riku's beyond my control. Last I heard he'd hidden himself on some god forsaken island." The man laughed, gesturing wildly.

"Of all the places for a vampire to go…" The other swung their head to right somewhat, eyes going up in a movement that spoke 'what ya gonna do?'

"Well it was clever on his part. Running off to a place like that. No one would have bothered to go after him. Too much sun, energy, all that jazz." The man nodded as if he understood, flicking a strand of silver hair as if fell in front of his face.

"He's a clever boy." The figure snorted and turned away, muttering something along the lines of 'fortunately for him…'

"You are too kind on him. I'm surprised you haven't called for his head on a platter and a stake through his chest." The figure gave him a sharp look, narrowing their eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The man inclined his head, showing that he meant no offence.

"Your reputation proceeds you Paine." The woman smirked, knowing exactly what he had meant now, her eyes drifted around the room before finally falling onto the man stood blocking the only exit.

"Unlike you, I prefer to keep my others in check. Rather than just kill them when I become bored." The man laughed and if one didn't know him they would have mistaken it for one of joy or good humour, oh how wrong they would be.

"Its apparent that you are not the only one whose reputation proceeds them." Paine lifted her head as the mans orange eyes pierced her dead heart.

"So it seems. And you will find nothing there Xemnas. It's as cold as the night is dark. Xemnas smirked, arching a silver eyebrow.

"It was worth a try. Though I should have known better than to peer into the depths of the head. I shall try to remember that...next time." The woman took a sharp step forward and even in the poor light Xemnas could see her eyes glint with anger.

"There will not be a 'next time' Xemnas." The silver haired man smirked, as if he knew something she didn't and Paine didn't like that look one bit.

"What do you want? Why have you really come here? Were you expecting to see him here or something. Because I wasn't waiting for him. I was waiting on…someone else." Lie. He and Paine both knew that, and they both knew that _he_ would not come, but both still had turned up, and waited. Oh the things this guy had them doing.

From the corners of the room the darkness seemed to have become tangible and moved and swayed as if it were being held back. It stretched and swung almost longingly after the woman stood in the middle of the room. Xemnas only had to swish his head to the left ever so slightly and the darkness fled back into the depths of where it had come from, leaving only remnants left to creep and crawl in its corner.

Paine had smelt the darkness, its stench skulking over her skin and trying to seep its way deep in and she knew that if she had a beating heart, she wouldn't have managed to keep such a straight face and push the dark thoughts from her mind. Slowly but steadily, as to show her daring, she moved toward the man, eyes fixed on his.

"I admire your courage."

"I am not afraid. And you are not welcome here Xemnas. You know that. I will not tolerate your presence in my coven-"

Before Paine could do anything the darkness was back full throttle and this time no one was holding it back. It encased her in a damp, cold mass, gripping tightly on her neck and pushing something sharp dangerously near to where her heart once used to beat.

"You will tolerate what I will tell you to tolerate Paine. You and I are not equals when it comes down to strength. Age, maybe. Numbers, well you and your coven win that one. But I shall tell you now, I know. I know what you did and this isn't the end. When our time comes, if you're not careful, I will have you begging for the ever-lasting death you have seemed to escaped." Xemnas' voice was laced with nothing but hatred and he moved forward till he was able to touch her face.

"Such a pretty face." Paine cringed and tried to wriggle free but the hold on her neck tightened and the object on her chest was forced forward slightly. She froze as Xemnas stroked her face and studied her carefully, before deciding that his fun was over and he waved his arm and the darkness disappeared along with whatever was being pushed into her chest.

"When you see Riku. Tell him to watch his back."

"I will if you watch yours." Was the reply. The man only smirked.

"Indeed." He then turned to walk away, lifting his hands up to pull a hood over his head.

"Oh and Paine, do try and keep those others of yours in 'check' as you so say. I don't want to have to be responsible for the unnecessary death of any Vampires f I can help it."

"Drop dead Xemnas." The man stopped and turned, his eyes glinting evilly from under the cloak he wore.

"Like you my dear? I shan't waste my breath on it." And with that darkness engulfed him, twisting this way and that before he finally disappeared leaving nothing but Paine, who immediately pulled out a cigarette, lit it, an took an extremely long drag.

-- --

It had been hours. Hours since they had left and Kairi was still thinking of what to do. Maybe she could just pop out and say hi? No. That was the most stupidest thing she could ever do. And yet, it was the only thing she could think of.

Kairi sat herself at the top of the stairs, willing herself to stop being so damned nervous. It was completely reckless but when they got home, Kairi was going to say and found out exactly what was going on. She had had enough time by now to think about what she had heard, enough time to really take everything in. Maybe she had jumped straight to the most weird and dim-witted assumptions earlier, but that whole neck thing really caught her off guard. But seriously, there was no such thing as Vampires, or…or…whatever else there was in all those stupid horror films she had watched once upon a time with her boyfriend.

So, when those two guys came home, she would appear to the silver haired one, explain her situation, find out why he can see her and…and…

CLICK!

Oh.

Crap.

"…told you not to have that second helping. But you never listen." Kairi watched as the, older of the two, well he appeared to be anyway, pushed the door open with his backside, carrying about twenty shopping bags in his hands. A voice pitched up behind him.

"You know I can't help myself. This is all _your_ fault." Kairi leaned forward a little more, noticing the brunette from earlier standing in the entrance, arms folded, bottom lip jutting out in a cute pout.

"Yes Sora. You're lack of self-control is my fault. How could I have been so thoughtless as not to realise that annnnnd who the fuck are you?" Kairi blinked wildly when she realised that Riku was finally looking up at her, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh, this was not how she planned it.

"Oh…I…I erm…"

Blank.

Great…her mind had gone blank. Fan-frickin'-tastic. _Come on Kairi, say something._

"…hi…" She finally squeaked, shrinking under the gaze of Riku. Sora's whole body finally came into view and he looked toward red head, frowning slightly.

"Erm…Riku, is there is girl sitting at the top of our stairs?" Riku frowned, unceremoniously dropping his shopping bags and folding his arms, "Yes. There is."

"Riku, why is there a girl sitting at the top of our stairs?" The silver haired boy spared the other a quick glance before taking a deep breath.

"Oh didn't I tell you? I just knew in advanced that we would spend _3 hours_ at the supermarket and then 3 _more_ at that pizza place I've never been to before and I thought 'when me and Sora get back at whatever time we get back we'll need some help decorating' so I pulled this random girl off the street and locked her upstairs until we got back…" Sora frowned and looked up at his friend, waving his finger and gesturing to Riku's body.

"This. Sarcasm. Don't need it." Riku rolled his eyes and took to glaring at the girl on his stairs again.

"I'll repeat. Who. Are. You?" Kairi, who had a small smile pulled across her face at their antics, quickly swept it off and gulped nervously, pulling her arms close to her.

"I'm…Kairi." She spluttered out. Wincing as Riku's look hardened. Clearly he was trying not to seem too intimidating and he was doing a really, really bad job of it.

"Well…Kairi…would you like to explain what you're doing in our house?" The girl took a deep breath and attempted a smile. Here goes nothing.

"It's complicated." She said, and in an instant she disappeared and Riku blinked in surprise before muttering something under his breath that sounded like 'I knew it.'

Sora on the other hand unleashed a girly squeal and spun round, looking in every direction possible.

"Did she?"

"Yep."

"But I thought…"

"Nope."

"How…?"

"Ghost."

"Ghost?"

"Yep."

"Jesus…"

"Nope. Kairi she said."

"Is she gone?

"Doubt it."

There was a whoosh and both flung their heads to the left before stumbling into the living room when they heard a small, nervous giggle. There, in the middle of the room stood Kairi, a shy smile gracing her lips.

"I'm kind of attached to it."

Riku took in a deep breath and went to speak when there was a loud thump from behind him. Him and Kairi stared at the floor, where Sora, in all his gracefulness had collapsed in an uncomfortable looking heap.

**Chapter two done and dusted… :]**

**Hope you enjoyed and don't forget, reviews make fanfiction go round, feed the authors… :D**

****

Edit 25/05/09: Corrected the word 'steak' for 'stake' – obviously you don't go round killing Vampires with a good ol' Sirloin…


	3. We Are Wha Who We Are

**Hallo there, Chapter three is here. Slightly longer than the other two… :D please enjoy…**

**Disclaimer: Refer to chapter one…**

**Being Human**

**Chapter 3**

**We Are** _Wha-_** Who We Are**

She had known that he would come back. He could be so predictable sometimes; and from where she sat, half hidden behind a large rosebush, the sun hard on her back attracted to the black coat she wore and blonde tendrils of hair poking out from underneath the hood, she cursed herself for not being smart enough and seen this coming a hell of a lot earlier. Because Larxene was sure that if anyone were to follow some cute little wolf around like some pet on a leash it would be Riku. The attachment the boy had on him was nothing like the one he had once had on her and in the deep depths of her cold heart the woman almost felt the slight twinges of resentment and jealously towards the brunette with short spiky hair and the bluest of eyes.

Larxene huffed in her crouched position, feeling the pain in her legs and the cracking of old bone rubbing against each other.

She was _way_ too old to be doing this.

Besides, she knew that Riku had other thoughts on his mind other than what plan Paine was thinking up; the silverette was a fool not to be getting involved in it. Larxene already knew that the Head of the coven had tried to get in contact with the boy, resulting only in an unwanted meeting with the Superior of the Organization.

_Yeah,_ Larxene thought bitterly, _she was lucky to get out of that one alive._ So, the blonde really didn't like her, she didn't know many who did. But Paine was the Head, the Leader of the coven, and an impossible amount of years old, it would be suicide to argue against whatever she said.

She was _ancient_.

And probably one of the dumbest smart people Larxene had ever had the oh-so-_great _pleasure of meeting.

God did Larxene hate that grey haired freak.

She really hoped that one day, she could take a razor sharp piece of wood, sharpen it some more, then some more for good measure, then, when she was least expecting it, sn-

"…ting our living room that colour Sora. And that's it."

Larxene hadn't even been bothering to watch the people she was supposed to be following. Not that she was actually _supposed _to be following them if anyone was being truly honest. What she should have been doing was completing the mission Superior had given her and she had been, right up until Riku had suddenly come into view and then everything else had taken second priority and suddenly Demyx had more thrown onto his workload and Larxene was busy sneaking around in the hot sun in a big, heavy black coat trailing a guy she had history with and his dog companion she couldn't care much for.

The blonde watched as the two sauntered past her, out of the small pizzeria they had been sat at, Riku nearly struggling with a hefty amount of shopping bags, to proud to ask for help, while the brunette frowned at him and clutched his stomach slightly.

"Wait!" She heard Riku exclaim and for a moment she thought that maybe he had spotted her from her position behind the bush, but then she saw him somehow comically attempt to pat his backside and a small smirk twitched at the edges of her mouth.

"Riku its right here." The brunette said a moment later, dunking a hand into a bag and pulling out a brown wallet. Riku looked faintly sheepish and muttered a 'thanks' before continuing on.

Larxene moved forward, out from behind the bush and slowly made her way across the street, moving in plain sight yet hidden from the boys walking not too far away from her.

In all honestly, Larxene didn't know why she was bothering with all this. Curiosity was one thing; and she also like to have a little leverage on others should the need to blackmail come to call. But the Superior had already given his warning, although it had gone to Paine and that meant it probably fell upon deaf ears and hadn't reached Riku yet; and Paine, although she wanted him back, would go things about this her own way and in her own time. So really, this was some personal vendetta for Larxene to be pursuing. Though the thought of the Superior finding out that her mission time was being spent following false allies wasn't exactly a pleasant one, the woman really couldn't help herself. Maybe she should just do as normal people do and talk to the guy, but god, that would be awkward. They hadn't seen each other in how long…? Fifty or so years, give or take, it was too long a time just to start up standard conversation.

Still, when the brune- she really ought to find out his name, starts with a 'S' right? – laughed at something Riku said and then tripped over his own feet and flat on his face, causing Riku to bend down slightly and for once let that calm mask of his drop, a sincere worried look spreading over his face before that damned smirk came back full blast; Larxene really felt a pang of jealously, because, once upon a time, Riku had looked at _her_ like that.

Larxene could remember those nights so clearly, nights when he and her had both been tangled in white sheets, sweat lining their bodies as they explored each other. Each minute, each second, like fire…

But that was a long time ago. Each moment broken into nothing more than a memory, and two lovers melded into nothing but friends and then…well…she left. Left to follow new horizons, see new sights and eventually, stumble onto Xemnas and the Organization and have her whole after life, turned around.

Larxene narrowed her eyes as the two nearly moved out of eyesight, not realising that she had stopped walking and stood motionless in the street, causing those around her to give her odd looks. Giving an irritated sigh to how far she was getting herself into all of this she moved forward again, quickening her path to catch up with the two men in front of her. In a matter of moments she was only feet from them, a little too close for comfort, the woman crossed the street, this was so she could easily manoeuvre out of sight without being too conspicuous.

She watched as they neared their destination, a small house that Xemnas was taking a little _too_ much interest in, something that intrigued Larxene to no end. But who was she to question on it? She was not a high-ranking member of the Organization any questions she dared to ask would be met with a painful answer no doubt and a resounding 'don't ask.'

Larxene pulled her hood off her head, needing to feel the breeze, these things were really damn hot and she had no idea why they had to wear them, but they did. Company regulations and all that. Huffing a sigh she continued along the sidewalk, throwing glances at the two every so often, it wasn't until she cast her eyes sideward and found nothing but empty space that she realised they had yet again stopped. She spun round, blonde hair flicking her face, eyes flying back and forth until they finally landed on two familiar figures. Riku and…boy, seemed to be looking for something and it was only when she took a good look at where she was did she realise that they were only minutes away from their house and they were probably searching for their keys. Casually, Larxene stepped forward and leaned against the conveniently close streetlight. Eyes never leaving them.

_Lucky I'm dead _she aimlessly thought to herself, realising that night had slowly crept up on them and had she been human, it would have been slightly harder to follow the two with the now darkening sky, nonetheless that good ol' vampire gene of hers meant that seeing in the dark was a lot easier than it use to have been, being a creature of the night and such…

Larxene folded her arms, finding herself getting bored quickly, how long did it take them to find their keys. Really.

Not paying as much attention as she should have she barely noticed Riku stiffen, a slight sniffing sound reverberate, the flicking up of his head and his searching eyes finding their way to her lone figure; and by the time she did it was too late, their eyes met. For her it was like time stood still, a flash of panic coursed through her body and in Riku's eyes she could see nothing but confusion.

It was in that second he made his mistake, and it was in that second she made her escape.

Riku turned his head to the left when Sora called out his name.

Larxene turned her back on them had made off into the darkness.

By the time Riku looked back at the street light that had cast a spotlight effect on her, Larxene made sure she was gone.

-- --

"_Hello…?" _

-- --

The last thing that Riku expected to be doing on his first night in his new house was to be throwing cold water over a passed out Sora in a last attempt to arouse him from his catatonic state. He had been generous, he really had. He had waited for the brunette to wake himself up, after carrying him into the living room, grabbing a blanket from the hire van and placing the boy in what looked like a very comfortable position on the floor. But when Sora woke up, took one look at Kairi and fainted again, Riku decided the whole situation was getting a little _too_ ridiculous.

"Sora. Wake Up!"

SPLASH!

"ARGHHH! Riku! Dammit! That's cold!" Riku smirked and looked at Kairi, who was stood on the other side of Sora, hand covering her mouth as she held back a giggle. She really shouldn't be laughing, she didn't know the boy and it was her fault he was like this. Letting her hand fall to her side, the girl kneeled down tilting her head to the left, watching as Sora blinked rapidly, shaking his head of the water clinging to his bangs and face, before pushing himself onto his knees and sitting there stiffly, head hanging limply, eyes shut, trying to regain sense of himself.

Holding her hand out Kairi smiled, "Need a hand?"

Sora slowly raised his head, peeking an eye out and letting it examine Kairi slightly before falling on her outstretched appendage. Timidly he took hold of it and let himself be pulled to his feet by a kind faced Kairi, letting a small smile grace his lips as he muttered his thanks.

"Sora. You can handle knowing about Vampires and Werewolves but when it comes down to innocent ghosts like Kairi you crumble? I thought you were stronger than that…" Kairi stifled another giggle as Sora dropped his hold on her hand and turned his head to glare at Riku.

"I wasn't expecting it. I was caught off guard with it that's all." _Jerk. _

"Aren't we all?" Riku held his smirk again, raising an eyebrow again at Sora's feeble attempt to regain his dignity back, from behind the brunette Kairi rolled her eyes, these guys acted just like her brothers sometimes.

"Put that bucket down before you hurt someone will you." Riku, who had been swinging a horribly dark green coloured plastic bucket by its handle, changed its course and expertly aimed it for Sora's crotch. The boy in question took five quick steps back out of Riku's shot and continued to frown at his friend until the silverette held one arm up in mock surrender, muttering under his breath and chucking the thing to the side of the room.

"So…"

Wow, awkward.

"Er…Kairi, this is Sora. My housemate. Sora, this is Kairi…she's a ghost." Sora, turned to Kairi, gave a short sweet smile and held out his hand.

"Thanks Riku. Think we've established that." Riku rolled his eyes, but watched as the two shook hands and then said nothing else. Which was strange because usually people found it hard to keep Sora quiet.

"Right. Well…er…"

"Ever the articulate one aren't ya Riku?" Sora shot Riku a smirk before turning back to Kairi and leaning in slightly.

"A habit you have to learn to deal with I'm afraid-"

"Hey!"

"Not the brightest tool in the shed either. But I like to keep him around ya know? He's decent company…"

"…"

"…on occasion."

"Thanks Sora. Means a lot to me that does."

Sora shot Riku one of his award winning smiles, not really caring that all his got in return was a sour look that held no amusement. Kairi, not being able to stand the 'apparently' tense atmosphere, shifted from one foot to the other, later she would come to realise that this was normal for the two boys and it really wasn't that uncomfortable when you knew what held the two together.

"I'm sorry." She pitched up, looking between Riku and Sora, a shy smile greeting them.

"Huh?"

"And you say I'm inarticulate…"

"Shhh!"

"I said, I'm sorry. For scaring you earlier, and for dropping this whole thing on you. I mean, last thing you wanted on to find out on your first day in your new house was that it was occupied by a ghost right?" Aquamarine, cobalt and azure eyes flicked from one to the other, each unsure of what to say. Finally it was Sora who spoke up.

"Oh, well, that's ok. I mean, I wasn't all that scared earlier by the way, you just…" The brunette trailed off when both Kairi and Riku raised their eyebrows at him.

"Okay. Well maybe I was a liiiitttllleee freaked out. But that was because…ya know…you're a ghost!" Kairi contemplated Sora for a minute, the corners of her lips twitching in amusement.

"And you're a Werewolf. Shouldn't I be the one who's a little freaked out here?"

"Well I- Wait a minute…how did you know about that?! I-Wait wait wait. Time out." Sora made a T shaped sign with his fingers before turning on Riku a demanding yet confused look beating beneath his eyes.

"She asked how we could see her while you were out for the count. I gave her answers. Don't look at me like that, who she gonna tell?!" Sora rolled his eyes and sighed, Riku had a point there, but still, it didn't mean he wanted every Supernatural being to know about his…condition…every time one happened to pop out of nowhere. Sora huffed unable to think of anything decent to say, because no matter what he did say, Riku had him beaten and he knew it.

Kairi giggled, tucking a stray strand of marooned coloured hair back behind her ear, a fond smile falling on her lips before it quickly slipped away, her eyes turning dull.

"What's up?" Kairi looked up and straight into Sora's own deep pools of blue and unable to escape the look of concern that suddenly flashed there she flushed slightly and took a step back, never breaking eye contact. He didn't even know her and yet…

"Nothing…it's just…you guys remind me so much of my brothers. I…it doesn't matter." Kairi forced herself to look away, unsure of what to say. Like these two really wanted to hear about her family, they probably had more important matters to worry about. Like what the hell were they going to with this ghost?

"Brothers huh? Well you'll have to tell us about them sometime…but in the meantime, it's getting late, I'm tired and we've got a hell of a day tomorrow so…" Riku spoke, breaking the tense silence, looking back and forth between Sora and Kairi, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"Oh right. Well, I'll just…erm…I…" Kairi broke off, unsure of what exactly she should say. Sora and Riku exchanged unsure glances, imploring the other to speak first; eventually, after aquamarine overrode sapphire, a voice broke through the silence.

"Do you sleep?"

Riku looked at Sora aghast. _What?_

Kairi, who was just as shocked as Riku gave a short laugh.

"Er…no I don't. When your…dead, things like eating, drinking, _sleeping_, they don't really apply to you anymore." Sora nodded as if knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Right, well me and Riku are just gonna make camp on the floor. Haven't managed to unpack anything obviously. So erm…you could just, I dunno, hang round do whatever you do at night time…" Kairi and Riku stared at Sora, mouths open, but for totally different reasons.

"What? You mean…you mean I can stay?" The girls voice cracked through the awkward atmosphere, shock settling quite nicely into her petite body.

"Yeah. I don't see why not. You were here first right?" Sora gave a half-hearted laugh and rubbed the back of his neck in inelegance. Riku, who by this time had managed to close his mouth, shared a gauche smile with Kairi, shrugging in answer to Kairi's wide questioning eyes.

Gasp.

Squeal.

Giggle.

Sometimes Riku really hated the female species.

In the distance part of his mind, Riku heard Sora Umph, closing his eyes and not really caring about the strange noises Sora was making Riku thought about how far the two of them were getting themselves in with this; because at some point someone was going to tell her goodbye and now Sora had given her the notion that this staying thing was permanent…well…that was going to be one awkward conversation left for a later date.

Before the silverette knew what was happening two thin arms found themselves attached around his neck and his whole body being shifted from side to side.

"Thank you guys so much! You don't know what this means to me!"

Riku patted Kairi's back lackadaisically, still a little dazed. He wasn't expecting to be glomped by a ghost…

When Kairi finally let go, she took a few steps back and at least had the audacity to look embarrassed. Sora threw her a sheepish grin.

"Better start getting the stuff out the van then…" Sora clapped his hands together, sent Kairi one more grin and nudged Riku as he turned and left the room.

-- --

It hadn't taken the two of them long to grab a bunch of blankets and some clean clothes and toiletries out of the small van they hired and dump all their goods in the living room. By this time Kairi had moved off into the kitchen, tottering about like she had a purpose, sorting out the things Sora and Riku had bought from their earlier shopping spree into cupboards.

Riku shot a disparaging glance at her back before he moved fully into the living from the doorframe and turned on Sora, who was rummaging through his bags.

"Sora?"

"Hey, have you seen my nose hair trimmer…?" Riku looked slightly disgusted before he rolled his eyes and ignored the boy's question.

"Sora."

"I know you said that I don't need it but seriously, I feel like I've got a forest growing up there and I can't…"

Sigh. "Sora."

"…I'm not gonna trim to much because I don't want it to go all red and raw because its healthy to have a bit of hair right? Buuuuttttt…"

"So-_ra!" _

"…looking up there and thinking 'ew'. I mean I know I do sometimes with you but you can't help it right? It doesn't bother me…" Riku frowned at Sora's comment that his nose hair was remotely out of control, a hand automatically went to his nose and he comically tried to feel what Sora was babbling on about. Last time he checked he looked fine in the mirror and its not as if his hair grew or anything; pretty much being dead sorted that out. Shaking his head and pulling his arm down Riku tried not to feel to offended about Sora's remark and noted to put a little extra bathroom time in in the near future, but for now he needed to talk to Sora about something much more important than nose hair.

"…the best thing is it has all these little attachments and-"

"SORA!"

Sora swivelled his head round and up to look at Riku, eyes slightly widened and Riku couldn't help but internally chuckle at Sora's appearance. Face slightly shocked, hands clutching and pointing at a small electronic device apt to fit someone's nose.

"Riku, I'm right here there's no need to shout." Riku yet again rolled his eyes and stuck his head through the doorway and peered up and into the kitchen, Kairi stood, hands on hips frowning down the aging hallway. The silverette shot her a encouraging smile, making sure she had turned back to concentrate on what she was doing before he ducked his head back into the living room and frowned at him.

"What?" the brunette questioned, eyeing Riku up cautiously.

"Why Sora? Why?!" The man threw his hands up into the hair in exasperation before letting them fall onto his head, his eyes fixated on the other knelt only feet from him. Sora, who looked slightly taken aback by Riku's sudden questioning, took a deep breath and shuffled slightly to get into a comfier position.

"Because Riku. My…condition causes me to grow rapidly in all the most stupidest places. Its enough that I have to deal with turning into a monster once a month, do I really have to look one as well? If I don't take care of this hair than who else is going to? Actually, don't answer that. I mean, it couldn't have helped with my height or anything could it oh no, it just had to turn me into frickin' big foot. It's stupid I know, but seriously, this trimmer is-"

Riku whose face and slowly but steadily been twisting itself into a mask that crossed between utter confusion, slight disgust and mild annoyance, creased until it couldn't crease anymore and Riku held up his hands, calling Sora's name and stopping the brunette's tirade before he really got started.

"I'm not talking about the friggin' nose trimmer hair thing." Riku stuck his head back out the doorway, making sure Kairi was still in the kitchen before he dived back in the room and continued. "I'm talking about the ghost."

Sora's mouth formed an 'O' shape before he stood up, dropped the contraption in his hands into his bag and dusted off his legs.

"What about her?" He said, frowning in his own confusion.

"Wha-? Sora, she can't stay here!" Riku moved closer toward the brunette in order to keep his voice low and yet hold its frustrated tinge.

"Why not?"

"Because. She's a ghost. She shouldn't be here. She should be…ya know…the place you go after you die."

"Riku, its not her fault she's stuck here. Clearly she's got some unfinished business and until she's done it and is ready to move on there is nothing we can do."

"Well it's not our fault either. Sora, she can't stay." Sora look affronted at the tone that Riku's voice held. He was being ridiculous. There was absolutely no reason she couldn't stay, she was nice enough and it really wasn't her fault she was stuck in limbo or whatever they called it. Riku was being his totally unreasonable self again.

"She has as much right to live here as we do Riku. Its her house." Riku sighed.

"Live being the operable word in that sentence. She can't _live _Sora. She's dead. There's nothing we can do about that. Its time for her to pack up and move on, this house doesn't belong to her. Its ours now."

"What's so different about her and us Riku? Or her and _you_?" Riku frowned and Sora, although his eyes still held on strongly to the anger that Riku's words had caused, on some small level, he felt he might have crossed a tiny line with that one.

Riku opened his mouth and then shut it quickly, unable to think of what to say. Sora was right with that one. What difference was there between them and her? In fact, he was more like her than he was Sora. After all, both him and the ghost were dead; they died and left behind the worries that human life brought. Illness and physical suffering…well there was always the thirst for him, that could have bad repercussions if he were to go too long without a feed of some sort but still…he couldn't feel the things that humans take for granted. Things they wished they never had.

Like a simple cold.

He remembered when he and Sora were still living out of their own two pockets instead of each other's but only a few months back. Sora, being part human had comedown with a cold. The poor boy had been coughing and spluttering for weeks.

And Riku remembered.

He remembered the envy. He wanted to feel for once, just once, the burning of the throat as the virus attacked. The sting of a cough. The tickle of a sneeze. The small insignificant things most humans despised. He wanted.

_Maybe just once. _

No. Sora was right, he was dead. Dead on the inside and out. And that wasn't metaphorically speaking. So who was he, a creature that fed on the lives of other things, a monster? Who was he to throw out something that although was passed did no wrong. Kairi seemed so young, she probably didn't deserve the fate she had been given and yet when she met him and Sora her eyes seemed to light up, a past loneliness momentarily fading away. Because here were people who could understand her. Could see her, and learn from her experiences.

But she was a reminder.

A reminder of what they were both trying to run from. Her being in the house would cause nothing but a distraction to the bare human lives him and Sora were trying to pretend they lived. So, technically neither was as human as she once was but they still could try. Well Sora could anyway. It was over for Riku, there was only so much he could do without having his secret revealed. He and Sora could only take around a five-year residence in this area for example, because people were bound to tell that Riku had never aged. He never changed. He was stuck. Like a memory. Or a picture. Forever frozen.

A piece of time captured in glass.

Eventually, things would change, Sora would find someone. Sora would leave. Though Riku half hoped at the back of his mind that he could one day tell Sora the affection he once held for him only 4 years ago. Deep down though, time, Riku's mortal enemy would catch up and cart off his best friend, his other, his person; and Riku would once again be alone.

Because unlike Riku, Sora couldn't live forever.

It was weird. Such a chain reaction of thoughts and memories, feelings had now led him to think of things he'd rather not think about.

He had enough on his plate without worrying about the future. Like…Larxene?

Could it really have been her? Or some mirage? Was Riku's past really catching up to his present? Maybe thinking about the future was the best right now…

Kairi. Sora. Riku.

Ghost. Werewolf. Vampire.

A forgotten life. A lost life. A regretted life.

Could such things live together? And would Riku and Sora's life be turned upside down by these strange events…this echo of a life and a mirage of a past?

Riku didn't know. But he was certain that of all of this he could control one. Control one so the other doesn't seep in and ruin everything else.

Kairi. _Larxene._ **Notes**. _Vampires_. **W**erewolve**s**. Mirages. Ghosts. **Secrets**. **S**or**a**.

_**Life.**_

Sora look deep into Riku eyes, knowing he had hit a nerve, he could almost see the elders thoughts…cavernous…an abyss of unknown questions and answers. Swirling. Churning.

_Disappearing_

**Reappearing. **

"Riku…I-" Sora was immediately cut off by the look his friend gave him.

"One week. She has one week to do whatever the hell she has to. The she's out."

Sora opened his mouth to speak, but Riku strode past him to his bag, his stiff and strained body language telling him not to argue. Grabbing it roughly Sora watch as Riku stalked out the room and headed up the stairs the sounds of his feet hitting the floorboards echoing through the house.

Sora's eyes adverted from where Riku left for only a minute, the waft of an unfamiliar scent reaching his nose and he sniffed, looking up to the flickering form of someone he really hoped, wished, wasn't there.

And had Riku been paying attention, he would have mimicked Sora, and smelled the scent of another. Had he been concentrating on the air and sounds surrounding him he would have noticed the faint wisp of mist swishing through the atmosphere of the hallway; and he would most definitely have heard the sound of each particle gather together, recreating the form of a petite redhead, eyes downcast in sadness.

-- --

Kairi sat in silence and in darkness. She couldn't remember a time she had felt so much emotion at once.

_Probably when ya copped it. _A snide voice spoke, its words ringing in her ears. Death, such a funny and depressing concept. Kairi had had enough of it now.

Bored . . .

Riku and Sora had long left to the world of the unconscious. Riku upstairs somewhere. He hadn't returned since his and Sora's…argument? Heated discussion? Whatever. Kairi had tried to block it from her mind. It was one of the last things she wanted to think about right now.

She hadn't spoken to Sora either, well, except from a murmured goodnight when she left to take refuge for the night in the Kitchen. She didn't know why Sora didn't just go find his own bedroom upstairs, maybe he didn't want to run into Riku, or maybe he didn't want to leave Kairi alone downstairs or maybe, he was just comfy where he was. Who knows.

Kairi wasn't sure what she should think of this whole situation. Ok, she promised herself she would think about it, and yet here she was, thinking. Letting her mind drift. Maybe she could…no. Could she dream? Could she sleep? When Sora asked her earlier this evening she had automatically said no, she never really bothered before because she was always just blacking out and becoming part of the house but now…to be honest she had never really tried. She was dead. A ghost. So there really was no need for her to sleep. But still, that dreaming, sleeping thing seemed a nice escape from it all right now.

Hesitantly, she closed her eyes, unsure of how to do this. It had only been three years for gods sake. Kairi, adjusted from her position sat on the worktop leaning against the cupboards, shifting here and there finding a comfier position. In the darkness of her closed eyes Kairi could see nothing but Riku's face as he stormed out the living room, eyes filled with uncertain emotion. Kairi, flicked her own eyes open and took a deep breath, maybe this whole sleeping thing wasn't a good idea after all. She didn't want to have nightmares…still…she wasn't one for just sitting still quietly all night. She hadn't had people staying the house for a while, let alone people who could see her and weren't very taken to her in the first place.

Shifting yet again Kairi moved her shoulder so it wasn't digging into the handle of the cupboard door and closed her eyes yet again. And this time, instead of hoping for sleep and good dreams and faraway places where she could eat and dream and feel wind on her skin she dreamed of beyond the open. Blank space. Bright light.

There was no better place, no field with lush grass and white bunnies. No, there was just she and a blank empty space. Black and white. Here and there. Up and down. Left and right. It was all there. In the void. Beyond the open door of the living and round the corner from the after life she had been given.

Kairi raised her hand, surprised at wherever she had come that her body was also with her as well. She took a step forward, or was it backward? She couldn't tell. It felt like she was moving forward, so she kept at it. Although if she was being truly honest it didn't feel like she was moving at all. Because nothing changed. Everything was just devoid of anything. Until a small white portal appeared, circular in shape Kairi noted, in spun and twirled and sped and slowed creating unimaginable patterns. Unsure, the girl lifted her arm and gently moved it toward the white portico, expecting her hand to fall gracefully through however, her fingers grazed against something soft. She pushed with a small amount of pressure and like she expected her hand fell through, fingers tingling under something icily cold and Kairi pulled her hand back quickly as though she were burned.

That was certainly…different.

Feeling a lot braver, Kairi stepped forward, reaching her hand out again, letting it flow threw the nothingness and reaching that invisible barrier that felt soft, sheen and like cling film. She rubbed the tips of her fingers up and down gently applying pressure and when she did, her hand moved forward into the portal. The coldness hit her appendage again although this time Kairi saw it coming and did not feel afraid. She let the air wrap around her fingers and slowly, almost gingerly, pull her forward. She wanted to go in, she really did, but…something was telling her not too. To stop, pull her arm away and go back. But back to where? And why? This was so…so…Kairi couldn't find the words to describe what this was and so ignoring her instincts telling her that this was a bad idea, and no, she didn't want to see what was on the other side for fear of ending up like that poor hedgehog Kairi ploughed in, eyes tightly shut, leaving the blank void behind.

By the time she crossed, Kairi found the overwhelming cold almost unbearable. She opened her eyes, cold snowy surroundings her expectant view but when she looked around she was mildly disappointed.

Because she was home.

The top of the stairs to be precise. Why was it so cold in here? Didn't Sora and Riku feel that? The living room door creaked slightly and another gust of wind swept through, freezing Kairi's toes. She quenched and took a step forward, shivering as she did so.

"Sora…" She muttered, he must have opened a window or something. She wasn't quite sure why, maybe Werewolves get extra hot during the night?

Quietly Kairi crept, the floorboards underneath her feet not making a sound, which was weird considering how long this place had been neglected.

"Sora?" She whispered when she reached the bottom of the stairs, taking a few steps toward the living room door she shivered yet again. Damn it was cold!

"Sora?! What do you think you're doing…down…here…" Kairi trailed off when she finally reached the living room doorway.

There was no Sora. In fact in there were a lot of things. But there was no Sora.

Someone, maybe god? Had miraculously moved all of her furniture back into the house, painted the walls again, removed the mould and put up brand new curtains; which were now billowing wildly in the wind.

"What the…?" To say Kairi was confused would be a slight understated. She was completely stunned. Unable to move except to wrap her arms around her in some feeble attempt to shield the cold her exposed body she-

Wait a minute…exposed? Kairi looked down at herself to see that she was wearing nothing but baggy flannel pants and a small vest top rising enough with her breathing to show a little bit of belly.

What. The. Hell.

Finally giving up on using her arms to brace the cold her stalked over to the window with all hopes to shut it but when she got there she faltered. Because the window had not been thrown open by some now non-existent Sora – the notion that maybe she dreamed she was a ghost and she was finally waking up from a very long nightmare strongly came to mind – instead, shattered glass lined the floor and the window had a large whole through it. A rather human shaped whole in fact…

Kairi let fear swallow her as she slowly turned around eyes scanning the living room and seeing no signs of life. Slowly she let a breath escape her. The phone was in the hall. If she could just reach it then…well she would call the police, hide and pray for the best. As Kairi moved forward she heard an all to familiar voice, one that incredibly confused her.

"Hello?"

Momentarily forgetting her fear Kairi strolled forward, stopping in the doorway to peer up the stairs, blue meeting blue.

Because Kairi was staring into the face of none other than herself, and although Kairi felt as though their eyes were connecting the other Kairi felt differently, her gaze only lingering on where she stood for a moment before the other Kairi wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands down her arms in an attempt to warm herself up.

Kairi's mouth hung open, not quite sure what to do. She stepped out into the hall, staring at herself in a matching outfit wandering what the hell was going on.

"Hi…" She spoke, testing to see if her other could hear her, the other Kairi apparently couldn't though as she continued making her descent down the stairs.

"Hello? Wyatt? You home?" Kairi frowned, as there was a clatter from the kitchen. She took a few steps down the hallway, her other following her cautiously. In the Kitchen a lanky figure moved swiftly about the place, muttering incoherently to themselves. Immediately, Kairi knew it wasn't her boyfriend, the movements were to quick to graceful to be him and she spun round and told herself to go back. Not continue down this path she was going on. Any idiot would know not to go downstairs when they heard a strange noise; but oh no, Kairi's other continued to move.

"Wyatt baby is that you? Making all that noise down here…" The figure didn't even seem to notice Kairi was there, now stood at the kitchen door, eyes blinking mercilessly at the darkness, clearly she had just woken up and hadn't really registered what was going on. Kairi knew this scene. She had been here before. But she couldn't remember. It was like watching the replaying of a film she couldn't remember the name of. It was frustratingly confusing.

Suddenly the figure turned, noticing another presence in the doorway, shrouded by shadow. It didn't notice nor care that this person wasn't part of the plan; it sped forward, a sharp object glinting evilly in the pale moonlight straggling through the Kitchen window.

Time seemed to slow, as Kairi began to shout, her other managed to let a mangled scream escape her throat and the figure moved with more determination than ever.

Kairi felt the pulling even before it happened, something was pulling her toward the scene, toward to glinting object and the frightful figure cloaked in black. She was sucked into the body of her other and just as time sped up her fight or flight instincts flared and Kairi turned into the hallway preparing to lock herself in the bathroom but the figure was ahead of her and lunged forward. Grabbing her waist and pulling her back. Kairi looked up with fearful eyes and into the eyes of the other. Their colour shone out while hers were shaded by the night. The eyes of a killer. Hard. Cold. They pierced her every move and made her rigid the-

"Kairi?"

…_help…_

"Kairi?"

…_protect me …_

"Kairi!"

…_scream…_

"Kair…

…_save me…_

"Ka…

…_please…_

**Aha! All done! Hope you enjoyed…I really liked writing the end bit with Kairi :D**

**This is kinda out later than I wanted it to be. I had a show last week (go btec drama students aka the Montagues – we didn't pick the name our tutor did -.-) I had two parts I was a wife having an affair and then I was a vicar…nice contrast there…**

**So busy with that, and I started reading Twilight (yes yes I've never read it before – saw the movie though -.- nuff said) the book is incredibly good, I'm currently coming to the end of New Moon which is the sequel for all those Twilight virgins such as I was…yeah I'm a fast reader…or a nerd…you decide =P**

**Erm…I have the fourth chapter semi planned so…we'll see how this goes…this chapter kinda took a mind of its own…but everything I wanted to get in got in so that's good. Oh and you'll find out what Kairi and Riku said to each other later ;) Anyway, this is the longest a/n ever, please review, they make me happier than you'll know and I do reply :D I don't ignore you guys honest…**


End file.
